Charles Voisin Pillar Skeleton Clock with glass dome
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century
This French pillar skeleton clock, manufactured in Paris by Charles Voisin, features an elegant open-structure design intended to showcase the intricate mechanical movement.
The clock is constructed with six vertical brass columns that support the time-only chain-fusee movement, which is powered by a coil spring. The movement itself displays skeletonized brass plates, exposing the inner gear train. The circular dial is made of enamel and displays clear markings for the maker, "Charles Voisin, A Paris." The entire clock assembly is mounted upon a stable Belgian slate base and is protected by an original-style fitted glass dome.
It includes a pendulum mechanism, reflecting the classic aesthetics of 19th-century French horology. With a height of approximately 52 cm, the piece serves as both a functional timepiece and an ornate decorative object, emphasizing the visibility of its internal components. The design is characteristic of the skeleton clocks produced in Paris during this era, focusing on precision, symmetry, and the display of the escapement and spring-driven fusee mechanism.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Height
- 52 cm
- Material
- brass, Belgian slate, glass
Technical characteristics
- Power
- coil spring
- Movement
- time-only chain-fusee
Design
- Dial
- enamelled
- Inscription
- Charles Voisin, A Paris
- Architecture
- six brass columns
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Charles Voisin
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.